Canadian Iaido Association

ZNIR/CIA History

The Canadian Iaido Association (CIA) was established in consultation with the All-Japan Iaido Federation which is known in Japan as the Zen Nippon Iaido Renmei (ZNIR). The main purposes of the Canadian Iaido Association is to administer Dan examinations in Canada in accordance with the standards and methods of the ZNIR and to promote Iaido in Canada. The CIA was registered as a non-profit society under the British Columbia Societies Act on March 2, 1993 by Theodore (Ted) Davis Sensei. Although the CIA was founded in 1993, its history dates back to 1980 when Ted Davis Sensei formed an iaido group in Vancouver. Later he also founded the Kendo club at University of Victoria.

The ZNIR is the largest and oldest Iaido only specialist organization in Japan and was established in accordance with the Japanese bushido spirit to pass on the time-honoured system of Kobudo Iaido. Visit the All Japan Iaido Federation Wikipedia page to read more.

2024 Vice President Chris Tooley Sensei awarded the Distinguished Contribution Order First Class and Second Class. Manager of General Affairs Eric Dunning Sensei awarded the Distinguished Contribution Order Second Class.

2022 Auditor Itoh Takeji Sensei awarded the Distinguished Contribution Order First Class and Second Class.

2021 President Denton Hewgill Sensei awarded the Distinguished Contribution Order First Class and Second Class.

2020 Creation of the CIA Honour System by ZNIR Vice President and ZNIR Kantō Region Federation President Kato Haruo Sensei and CIA President Denton Hewgill Sensei.

2018 President Denton Hewgill Sensei appointed Chris Tooley Sensei as Vice President of the Canadian Iaido Association at the 25th Annual CIA Summer Seminar in Victoria, BC. This appointment was officially approved by the ZNIR Kantō Chiku Renmei Headquarters.

2017 President Denton Hewgill Sensei and Manager of Finance Chris Tooley Sensei restructured and strengthened the CIA in accordance with the British Columbia non-profit societies act.

2015 The CIA was further approved by Kantō Chiku Renmei of the ZNIR to be able to receive all the main benefits as a Shibu (division) in Japan. The CIA is the first and to date the only foreign association officially in the ZNIR.

2014 The CIA officially became a recognized Kyōkai (association) in the Kantō Chiku Renmei of the ZNIR. See the notes in the CIA structure diagram. The CIA was the first foreign association to join the ZNIR in its long history. This new status was achieved after considerable effort by Itoh Sensei supported by Kato Sensei, Tanida Sensei, and several other influential Sensei in Japan.

2013 Itoh Sensei was appointed as the ZNIR Kantō Chiku Renmei Kansayaku Overseas Auditor by Kato Sensei 10^th Dan Hanshi, Vice President of the ZNIR to observe, assist and supervise in the CIA’s operations.

2012 The first seminar in Eastern Canada was held in Kingston Ontario with Kato Sensei and Tanida Hiroshi Sensei (then 9^th Dan Hanshi) as instructors. This was the first visit for Tanida Sensei.

2010 Itoh Sensei again explored the possibility of obtaining a higher official status for the CIA in the ZNIR, by lobbying senior ZNIR officials. This process had already been attempted twice, years earlier by the first President of the CIA, Ted Davis Sensei.

2009 Kato Sensei appointed Itoh Takeji Sensei as his official envoy after several years of observing him in both Canada and Japan. Itoh Sensei joined the CIA in 2007.

2008 A new Letter of Attorney was presented by the ZNIR Headquarters to second President Denton Hewgill Sensei in June to authorize future examinations with CIA’s own local certificates issued in Canada.

2007 After the passing of Ted Davis Sensei (the first President of the CIA), Denton Hewgill Sensei became the second President of the CIA.

2005 Kato Haruo Sensei 10^th Dan Hanshi, officially representing the ZNIR, assumed the responsibilities for the CIA. The main line Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu is the style of iaido that the ZNIR supports in the Canadian Iaido Association.

2001 President Ted Davis Sensei again explored the possibility of gaining a higher status for the CIA in the ZNIR by writing letters to ZNIR Headquarters.

1998 For the first time, President Ted Davis Sensei explored the possibility of obtaining a higher status for the CIA in the ZNIR.

1993 First President of the CIA Ted Davis Sensei was presented with Letters of Attorney from the ZNIR authorizing Dan examinations in Canada. This is the date of the first seminar and represents the founding of the CIA and was hosted in Victoria by the UVic Kendo club. The Japanese Sensei assigned to the CIA was Esaka Sensei (10^th Dan Hanshi).

1992 CIA was approved by the ZNIR Headquarters to be able to have its own local Dan examinations with CIA’s own certificates issued in Canada. The final effort to establish formal ties with the ZNIR was due almost entirely to the efforts of Oyanagi Sensei in Japan and Ara Sensei in Vancouver.

1986 Ted Davis Sensei completed his third edition of an  Iaido Notebook for his students in Shisui-Kai Canada.

1985 After Oyanagi Sensei returned to Japan, there was no established method by which Dan examinations that would be recognized by the ZNIR could be given in Canada. For the benefit of Canadians, Oyanagi Sensei lobbied the senior officials of the ZNIR for several years to establish a system of Dan examinations in Canada. This eventually led to the founding of the CIA. Ted Davis, in consultation with Oyanagi Sensei, Ara Sensei and Peter Owen, were the primary architects of the CIA.

1982 A special Dan examination was held in Vancouver, BC with Oyanagi Sensei and Suzuki Sensei from Japan as examiners. This was authorized by Kawakubo Sensei (10^th Dan Hanshi), as an official of the ZNIR, and the certificates issued were ZNIR certificates.

1980 Ted Davis Sensei returned from Japan to Canada and continued studying iaido under Oyanagi Sensei in the dojo Shisui-Kai Canada.